Snapping-roll cleaner



Dec. 11, 1928.

1,694,533 T. H. DILLON, JR

SNAPPI NG ROLL CLEANER Fiied Jan. 51, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l gnwmtoa 7 I d d I JZgwsfiIDZZZO/ZJI 6 3% W I I elthozweq Dc. 11, 1928. v 1,694,533

T. H. DILLON, JR

SNAPPING ROLL CLEANER Filed Jan. 51, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnaw/Mow 5 that may Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

THOMAS H. DILIJON, J11, OF G-REELEY, NEBRASKA.

SNAPPING-ROLL CLEANER.

Application filed January 31, 1928.

This invention relates to snapping roll cleaners for corn husker-shredders, and has for an object to provide an extremely simple and inexpensive device of this character be readily applied to ordinary corn husker-shredders without material alteration of the latter.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a manually operable snapping 10 roll cleaner which is extremely eiiicient in operation, and which may be easily operated to expeditiously remove or eject accumulated husks which have clogged the snapping rolls.

Other objects will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, and the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings;

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a corn husker-shredder equipped with a snapping roll cleaner embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section on line 2=-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 8-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4- is a view somewhat similar to Figure 3 with the clog ejecting plunger in the lowered and forwardly tilted position which it assumes at the completion of its clog ejecting movement; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section on line 55 of Figure 3.

I have illustrated my device as applied to a well known husker-shredder which is shown more or less diagrammatically and includes a table 5 along which travels the feed carrier 6, snapping rolls 7 arranged at the delivery end of the carrier 6 and receiving the stalks therefrom, and a guide hood 8 into which the stalks are carried when fed between the snapping rolls. The present invention is adapted for use in removing or ejecting stalks which have accumulated in the space between the snapping rolls and feed carrier and thereby clogged the rolls.

in accordance with the present invention, the top of the guide hood 8 is provided with an opening 9 over the space between the snapping rolls and the feed carrier, and a Serial n. 250,813.

clog ejecting plunger 10 is movable downwardly through this opening into engagement with the stalks which are clogging the snapping rolls, means being provided for automatically tilting the plunger as it completes its lowering movement, so as to eifect movement of the lower end of the plunger and the stalks engaged thereby away from the snapping rolls. In this way, the space between the snapping rolls and feed carrier is effectively cleared so that the ears of corn may readily pass downwardly to the husking rolls 11, the stalks then passing bet-ween the snapping rolls into the shredder hood 12 where they are shredded by the knives 13 on the shaft 14E.

As shown, the plunger 10 consists of a plate or board which is arranged transversely of the l1t1Sl 1-Sl1I(-3Cl[l8l and guided for reciprocation in an'upright frame composed of channel-shaped side guide rails 15 rigidly connected at their upper ends by a bar 16 and inclined braces 17 and pivoted at their lower ends, as at 18, to the top of the guide hood 8, so that the guide frame may tilt longitudinally of the machine. Anti: friction rollers 19 are provided in the guide rails 15 to engage the side edges of the plunger and promote ease of movement of the latter.

ltigidly mounted on the top of the hood 8 at the outer sides of the guide rails 15 are up rights or standards 20 which support a transversely disposed horizontal guide roller 21 at the rear of the guide frame. Projecting upwardly from the sides of the plunger 10 are arms having rearwardly and up wardly inclined cam shoes 28, the roller 21 being disposed some distance below the shoes 23 when the plunger 10 is raised and also beft g arranged in the path of movement of said shoes. The uprights 20 are connected to the plunger arms 22 by means of helical tension springs 2a which yieldingly hold the plunger guide frame in a vertical position against the roller 21. It will thus be seen that when the plunger is lowered through the opening 9 into engagement with the stalks which are clogging the snapping rolls, the cam shoes 23 will engage the roller 21 and cause the plunger and its guide frame to tilt forwardly against the tension of springs 24 as the plunger completes its lowering movement from the normal inoperative position of Figure 3 to the position of Figure 4;. This results in rearward movement of the lower end of the plunger so as to effectively remove or eject the stalks from the space between the snapping rolls and the feed carrier. The plunger 10 has teeth 25 on its lower edge for positive engagement with the stalks. I

The plunger is normally yieldingly elevated above the hood 8 by means of helical tension springs 26. connecting the top of the plunger with the braces 17, and manually operable means is provided for lowering the plunger. This manual means preferably consists of a transversely disposed vertically swinging lever 21' pivoted between its ends, as at 28, to the upper end of a. laterally swinging link 29 hinged at its lower end, as at-30, to a bracket arm 31 secured to the top of the hood 8 and projecting laterally from one side of the machine, a flexible member or cable 32 being attached to the lever 27 inwardly of its pivot 28 and being extended downwardly at the side of the machine under a guide 33, then rearwardly to and over a second guide 34, and then down wardly where it is attached to a foot lever 35 mounted adjacent the operators platform 36. By this arrangement, the downward ejecting movement of the plunger may be readily'effected by depressing the foot lever 35 and without the necessity of the operator leaving the platform on which he stands when feeding the corn onto the feed carrier.

A pivoted trap door 36 is provided to close the opening 9 when the plunger 10 is elevated so as to enable the hood 8 to properly function, and a link 37 connects this trap door to the plunger so that the trap door is automatically opened when the plunger is lowered and automatically closed when the plunger is raised. The forward portion of the trap door is adapted to abut the underside of the top wall of the hood 8 when closed, as shown in Figure 3, so that the corn passing into the hood 8 may not push the door upwardly beyond its raised closed position.

In operation, the foot lever 35 is depressed for pulling upon the cable 32 and lowering the plunger 10 into engagement with the stalks and husks which are clogging the rolls, the door 36 being opened when the plunger is lowered, and the plunger and its guide frame being tilted forwardly as the plunger completes its lowering movement, due to engagement of the cam shoes 23 with the roller 21. In this way, the stalks and husks are torn apart and loosened, as well as ejected from the snapping rolls, so that the said rolls are effectively cleared, The foot lever 35 is then released and the parts are quickly returned to the normal position of Figures 1 to 3 inclusive by the springs 2% and 26. This operation is repeated if necessary, and it will be seen that the desired clearing of the snapping rolls may be conveniently effected without danger of injury to the operator. The outer end of the lever 27 is connected to the bracket 3i by means of a tension spring 36 which assists the springs 26 and prevents undue play between the parts 27, 29 and 31.

Minor changes may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Nhat I claim as new is:

1. In a snapping roll cleaner, a plunger, yieldable means to normally elevate said plunger, manually operable means to lower said plunger, and means to automatically tilt said plunger when lowered, for causing the lower end of the plunger to move away from the snapping rolls.

2. In a snapping roll cleaner, a toothed plunger, yieldable means to normally elevate said plunger, manually operable means to lower said plunger, and means to automatically tilt said plunger as it completes its lowering movement.

3. In a snapping roll cleaner, a toothed plunger, yieldable means to normally elevate said plunger, manually operable means to lower said plunger, means to automatically tilt said plunger as it completes its lowering movement, a tiltable guide frame in which said plunger is slidably mounted, said tilting means embodying cam shoes carried by the plunger and a stop element mounted adjacent the guide frame in the path of said cam shoes, and yieldable means to move the guide frame to and hold it in an upright position against the stop element when the plunger is raised.

4:. In a snapping roll cleaner, a toothed plunger, yieldable means to normally elevate said plunger, manually operable means to lower said plunger, means to automatically tilt said plunger as it con pletes its lowering movement, a tiltable guide frame in which said plunger is slidably mounted, said tilting means embodying cam shoes carried by the plunger and a stop element mounted adjacent the guide frame in the path of said cam shoes, yieldable means to move the guide frame to and hold it in an upright position against, the stop element when the plunger is raised, and standards rigidly mounted at the sides of the guide frame, said stop element embodying a horizontal roller supported by said standards.

5. The combination with the guide hood of a husker-shredder having an opening in the top thereof, of a trap door for closing said opening, a clog ejector including a reciprocating plunger movable through said opening, and means connecting the plunger with a huskermeans to yieldingly elevate said plunger,

and manually operable means to lower said 10 plunger embodying a foot lever operable by the operator while standing on said platform.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THOMAS H. DILLON, JR. 

